Marv Johnson “I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose” 45 Gordy, 1968

Marv Johnson “I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose” 45 Gordy, 1968 This song is definitely not for the weak willed, recently single or overly sensitive romantic types. I can say because in my coldest, darkest, most cynical moment hearing this song will shatter the illusion that I am a man of any spartan cut; my ability to remain stoic and logical in the face of Marv’s recorded longing simply does not exist. Marv Johnson, for those uninitiated in his work, was a solid member of the Motown family, having the first single on Anna released under his name though it was picked up by United Artists (don’t be fooled like I was for so long, just because the label is really ugly - in the bad way- it doesn’t mean his sides aren’t worth your time!) for national distribution. Side note, Gordy was probably pretty lucky that happened, there are too many stories of tiny labels releasing absolutely stellar records that have massive national demand which the label meets, paying and paying and paying for a million and a half singles only to see the middle men, stores and distributors slow (if ever) to pay effectively bankrupting a group of people who just displayed musical, if not business, brilliance. Side-Side Note, lucky they didn’t get hooked into some eventual shit storm distribution deal like Stax-Atlantic allowing Gordy, ever the astute businessman, to retain rights to his artists and work. Back to this absolutely gorgeous 7inches of circular acrylic. Cut in 1968 it wasn’t the smash it should have been (who the shit didn’t have something to be totally depressed about or long for in 1968, I mean, really?!) in America but, as is often the case with soft soul dancers like this, it caught on in a big way in the UK the following year. Marv’s career with Motown continued into the 70s primarily as a song writer but this record, for me, marks the peak of his recording though you’re not going to feel disappointed if you pick up any of the records you come across.